Pakistani authorities have shut down an illegal FM radio station set up by pro-Taliban clerics in Islamabad during growing concern about the spread of Islamist influence.“We took action as soon as the issue was brought to our notice. We have stopped the transmissions,” a spokesman for the government’s electronic media regulator said. He declined to say how the transmissions had been stopped but said further action would be taken if warranted.Islamists have been running numerous illegal radio stations in the conservative northwest of the country, where some areas on the Afghan border are hotbeds of militancy.(Source: Reuters/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

The public local radio stations in Macedonia are demanding that the new law on broadcasting and electronic communications grants them their old status. Representatives of 20 public local radio stations came up with the demand during a meeting yesterday in Struga.According to Jordanka Dojranlieva, the head of the Association of Public Local Radio Stations (JLRS), problems have occurred in the course of the privatization process due to be wrapped up by 29 May. Given the fact that public local radio stations are not mentioned in the draft version of the new law on broadcasting, the Association has tabled amendments seeking that their status be maintained and privatization deadlines be suspended.The situation in the public radio stations is very difficult given the overdue wages. More than 80 percent of 300 employees don’t receive monthly wage. They are also deprived of healthcare and pension insurance.(Source: Macfax Online/R Netherlands Media Network weblog)

Asian broadcasters need to share more content, and use this to attract viewers to their new digital channels, a conference in Kuala Lumpur has heard. Keith Pierce of Aljazeera English told the ABU Digital TV symposium that by sharing programmes, broadcasters could acquire content cheaply and boost the value of their digital channels. Speaking at an industry debate on the final day of the symposium, he said that when he had worked for an Indonesian channel, programmes from Hong Kong and Mexico had proved popular among the channel’s viewers. “We should be sharing a lot more content than we are between Malaysia and Indonesia, and across the region,” he said.Other speakers agreed that good content was key to the success of digital channels in the Asia-Pacific region, and that it must differ from the content available on existing analogue channels. Chris Jaeger of Broadcast Australia said the lack of innovative content was a reason for the relatively low take-up of new Australian digital channels. He also said strong collaboration - a “collective vision” - was needed between government regulators and broadcasters. If they got the vision right, other aspects of digital TV broadcasting would fall into place.Bill Curtis of Kordia, a company that provides broadcast services to New Zealand TV and radio networks, said some broadcasters who wanted to introduce digital services were being held back because their regulators and governments had not begun to develop a transition plan.Ana Eliza Faria e Silva of Brazil’s TV Globo said digital TV services would succeed in the developing world only if governments subsidised broadcasters.Rohan Perera of Sri Lanka’s national broadcaster, SLRC, said the organisation needed financial support from the government for the transition to digital broadcasting but as yet was not receiving any.(Source: Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union/R Betherlands Media Network Weblog)

CLANDESTINE. 9485, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Taiwan, *1300-1325, March 26, piano IS, OM with list of abductees names (believe in Korean), started out stronger than the Yamata broadcast but faded out and lost by 1325, assume they signed-off at BoH. No sign of any jamming. This is their new frequency (ex: 9950). (Howard, China)

INDIA. 15020, AIR GOS, 1055-1100*, March 27, news in English, ID: AIR GOS, schedule given for their next broadcasts, fair. (Howard, China)

RUSSIA. 7200, R. Rossii, 2010-2025, March 25, Russian programming (songs, phone numbers given, talking, etc.). Heard with good audio (no warble at all), so assume this is a different site at this time, fair-good. March 27, 1002-1011, R. Rossii via Yakutsk/Tulagino, poor to fair reception with poor audio (warble), similar to reception back in Calif. (Howard, China)(Ron Howard)

www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0100/t.3626.html3.23.2007Details are out on the upcoming annual meeting of the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters.The event in May is at the HCJB Global Technology Center in Elkhart, Ind. Members, shortwave stations, equipment manufacturers, program producers, listeners and others are expected. Digital Radio Mondiale developments will be a main topic.

The agenda includes a tour of HCJB's engineering center, recently renamed the Global Technology Center.

Charlie Jacobson will discuss DRM receivers he has tested as well as HCJB's DRM receiver package. Don Spragg of Continental Electronics will talk about the company's DRM upgrades for shortwave transmitters and tests of DRM transmitters on 26 MHz for local broadcasting.

Also speaking: Brent Weeks of HCJB in Ecuador and Mike Adams of the Far East Broadcasting Company, who is NASB's vice president. "We hope to have a representative from the DRM Consortium in Europe, and a sample of one of the latest DRM receivers from Europe to monitor DRM transmissions during the meeting," organizers stated.

Attendees will visit NASB member LeSEA Broadcasting in South Bend, which operates World Harvest Radio shortwave stations in South Carolina, Maine and Hawaii.

Kim Elliott, audience research officer at VOA, and Gerhard Straub of the U.S. International Broadcasting Bureau will speak. John Brewer of HCJB in Singapore will discuss radio in Indonesia; George Ross from Trans World Radio will show photos of KTWR on the Pacific island of Guam.

Adrian Peterson of Adventist World Radio's "Wavescan" program, who has written about American shortwave in Radio World, will present "The World's Oldest Radio Cards, 1901-1945." The annual NASB Business Meeting is also part of the event.

There is no registration fee. For a schedule and info, e-mail info@wrmi.net.

The NASB Web site has details about hotel reservations at a meeting rate.(Source: Zacharias Liangas/Cumbre DX)

KOREA D.P.R./JAPAN/TAIWAN North Korea jams the "Shiokaze" from Yamata site.

Youmiuri Shimbun reported on March 29:

"Inventment Committee of the Missing Japanese probably related to North Korea" announced that "Shiokaze" broadcast over KDDI Yamata transmission site (2030-2100 UT 6045 kHz) was jammed. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications presumed the jamming was from North Korea. The committee, along with the Japanese government, will ask North Korea via ITU to stop jamming. The jamming was officially detected by the national monitoring facility at Miura peninsula near Tokyo on March 28. The committee says jamming the official licensed radio broadcast is a violation of sovereignty.

According to Asian broadcasting Institute:They may use alternative frequencies 6080,6085,6185 kHz to cope with jamming if necessary. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications measured the jamming was from the suburbs of Pyongyang. Although the jamming is detected in Tokyo, reported reception in Seoul and western Japan is rather good. It is presumed the reception in Pyongyang is also good, instead of jamming, due to the "skip" phenomena of shortwave.

Since May 2006, North Korea has jammed "Shiokaze" broadcast from VT communications facilities. This is the second time that they jam the transmission from Yamata site. The first was in March 1993, when North Korea withdrew NPT, for a few days against Korean service of Radio Japan.(Source: Takahito Akabayashi, Japan/HCDX)

If it's the weekend, time to tune-in to the relays on 9290 kHz.Our special thanks to Tom Taylor for the update.

MV Baltic Radio

6045 kHzApril 1st at 1200 UTC on 6045 kHz

MV Baltic Radio listeners can take pleasure in music out off the mainstream. We will play music from singers, who are also actors. We remind you of the wild times and the beat music. Also we have a lot of information about the tourism country Mecklenburg- West- Pomerania. This country will be the host for the participants of the G8 meeting in a few weeks.Relay via 9290 kHz

Our Programme Distirbution Department has arranged for a third mediumwave frequency to carry coverage of the two Champions League football matches between PSV and Liverpool on 3 and 11 April. The 600 kW transmitter at Pori, Finland on 963 kHz will also be on the air, augmenting 1314 and 702 kHz. Until 1 January this transmitter carried the programmes of Finnish public broadcaster YLE, but has been silent since then. The official coverage zone is NE Europe, though it always put a strong signal into this part of Europe too.Full schedule for match coverage (updated)

The Sound of Hope Radio Network began satellite broadcasting to mainland China on Monday (26 March) this week. Sound of Hope satellite Station One and Station Two will broadcast to East Asia through Eutelsat SA’s two channels 24 hours a day, covering the majority of mainland China, Taiwan, and countries in Southeast Asia.The Sound of Hope Radio Network, based in California, started broadcasting to mainland China in March 2004. Currently, besides the new satellite broadcasting, the network also provides 14 hours shortwave and mediumwave programmes daily that cover the entire mainland. Besides direct broadcasts through the Internet, the Sound of Hope also provides Chinese and English broadcasts to the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Taiwan and many cities in Southeast Asia simultaneously.The receiving parameters of Sound of Hope Satellite Station W5 (70.5 degrees East) are:Position : East Longitude 70.5 degreesDownload frequency : 11334 MHzPolarity : VerticalForward Error Correction (FEC) : 1/2Symbol Rate : 6511(Source: Sound of Hope Radio Network via Epoch Times/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

As a result of a major channel reorganization in Sweden, changes to programs for immigrant communities will go into effect from 2 April. Programs in immigrant languages will be broadcast on the P2 network throughout the country, including the Greater Stockholm area. Radio Sweden says that the P2 frequency in Stockholm, 96. 2 MHz, provides listeners with a much better quality signal.However, Swedish radio will continue to rerun programmes during the evening in Stockholm on P6 at 89.6 MHz. Some of the times for the reruns have been adjusted. The following programmes from Radio Sweden will be broadcast during the evenings: German 1830, Russian 1900, and English 1930 UTC daily. The broadcasts from radio stations in other countries are being discontinued.The weekly programme “Inside Sweden” on P2 will, from 6 April, be broadcast in Stockholm every Friday at 1130 UTC on 96.2 MHz (incorrectly announced as 96.2 kHz on the programme). It will be repeated in the evening on P6, 89.6 MHz at 1700 UTC.(Source: Radio Sweden/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Private broadcasters in the Maldives will face strong competition to secure FM frequencies after authorities have announced only five national and eight Male’ based signals will be available. Chief Executive of the Telecommunications Authority (TAM), Mohamed Amir, announced this morning that he expects those figures will be the limit.Amir explained numbers will be restricted because of “limited resources” and “existing broadcasts” on the FM bandwidth. He said reserve frequencies did exist but TAM had decided not to make these available yet. The Authority wants a bedding-in period to resolve any technical problems. But TAM is also not convinced many of the applicants are serious.With only five frequencies available for ten applicant broadcasters, competition will be cutthroat at the birth of private radio broadcasting. Amir says competition will identify broadcasters “who are capable” of investing in infrastructure to broadcast. The Telecommunication Regulatory Board will determine which broadcasters receive frequencies. Amir denied there would be any political interference in this decision. He said the board was “semi-independent”, although all members are appointed by the President, without any parliamentary approval.In addition to competition for frequencies, broadcasters limited to Malé will attract less revenue from advertising. But Amir said that TAM is not concerned with “the business case for broadcasting, but with limited resources”. Amir agreed that the need to apply separately for a broadcast licence from the Ministry of Information and a frequency from TAM was complicated for broadcasters.He said “there has been some cooperation” between the authorities and the Information Ministry has consulted TAM “when necessary”. But broadcasters are concerned that there was no cooperation until the final stages of the process. Amir said “personally I would have preferred more” cooperation to create a single application process. But he said that agreement to keep the regulation of broadcasting and infrastructure separate had been taken at ministerial level, “and there must have been reasons for that.”(Source: Minivan News/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

The commercial radio industry in Australia is furious about new licence conditions which have been imposed on its regional stations by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. The changes mean that if a regional radio station is sold or merged into another media group, staff numbers at the station cannot be cut and the size of its production facilities must be maintained.The head of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner, says the new conditions are not as restrictive as those originally proposed, but are still highly intrusive. “It’s taking government regulation back to the dark ages where they are fiddling in the day-to-day operations of commercial enterprises,” she said.Communications Minister Helen Coonan says the industry was consulted. “We’ve worked through the concerns of all of her members and we’ve put in a great deal of flexibility,” she said.She says the changes are designed to protect media diversity in regional areas. “Concerns were expressed that the reform to the media laws would mean that they would lose all their local presence - in other words they would lose local radio stations operating within their communities and it was an attempt to get the balance right so they wouldn’t just get hubbed and streamed material,” Senator Coonan said.(Source: ABC News Online/T Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Thursday, March 29, 2007

That wild and crazy bunch from Michigan Area Radio Enthusiasts has been at it again at their receivers, so today's samples are via the latest newsletter.Special thanks to Joe Wood for his kind words about this blog in the newsletter. It is appreciated, and hope it brings in about a "bizillion" new MARE members! Best of DX to Joe and MARE members.Gayle Van Horn

COSTA RICA: 6125 Radio Exterior de Espana; 0156-0205+, 19-Mar; Lite music to ID @0200 then M&W in Spanish w/news. SIO=433. Uruguay will have to wait. (Frodge-MI)

FRENCH GUIANA: 9750 BBC WS relay, 1245, Newshour program with item about how the stunts in James Bond movies stretch the laws of physics //9660-USA. (Racenis 18-MAR)

GERMANY: 15680 Christian Voice Communications relay by Wertachtal 3/15, 1500-1530. Lite religious programming with talk by a woman and man, several songs, discussion of the HIV problem in India, station ID. Clear signal for 15 minutes, then lots of QRM later. E-mail request for a verification, resulted in two responses within 24 hours, from "Rick" at CVC who promised a QSL was being placed in the mail while Deutsche Telekom's Walter Borodowsky sent an e-mail verification. (Miller)

The Israeli Communications Ministry has approved two new regional radio stations; one for the political party Shas called Sephardic-Torah radio, and the other for settlers in the West Bank called West Bank radio, Ynetnews reported. According to the Communications Ministry spokesman, Dr. Yechiel Shabi, the channels will be directed towards the two groups that do not listen to other radio stations. Sources at the Ministry said that many pirate stations had been launched for these audiences over the years.(Source: IsraelInsider/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

The Hebrew Section of Polish Radio External Service has finally started broadcasting its half an hour daily transmission.Joanna Najfeld reportsThe program of the Hebrew section of Polish Radio External Service, inaugurated on Sunday, March 25th, at 18:00 hours UTC, consists of a news from Poland bulletin and magazines on Polish-Jewish relations, as well as life, traditions and culture of the Jewish community in Poland'The program itself is half and hour a day. It's enough time to give basic news from Poland and the European Union, maybe even from Russia, Polish Radio External Service Hebrew Section broadcasts everyday at 18:00 UTC hours in the shortwave spectrum on 9695kHz with repeats on satellite the following day.If you are fluent in Hebrew and would like to try your hand at journalism, the Hebrew section is open to cooperation. For more information, please contact Polish Radio.Web: (w/streaming & on-demand audio) www.polskieradio.pl/plonia

GREENLAND 3815 After a long period here with no reception, KNR, Tasiilaq is again audible this evening on 3815 kHz, but only in USB-mode. Heard from tune in 2118-2127 UT with talk in Greenlandic and Eskimo songs with orchestral music, SINPO 33333 with a whisteling tone on the frequency. (Anker Petersen-DEN, DXplorer Mar 21)(Source: WWDXC Top News (BC-DX # 800 via Wolfgang Bueschel)

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A 78-year-old Hong Kong broadcaster modelled in part on the BBC should be scrapped, a government-appointed panel said today, sparking fears that the freedom of the press was under attack. The fate of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) , arguably the most liberal and critical public broadcaster operating on Chinese soil today, had hinged on a public broadcasting review whose report was released today after a year.Many had expected the panel to recommend hiving off RTHK - which now functions as a fully funded government department - into an independent, statutory public broadcasting corporation. Instead the panel, which is seeking to overhaul the city’s public broadcasting, called for a “newly minted” public broadcaster altogether, with no role for RTHK.“(We want) a clean slate … We wish this future public broadcasting corporation to start afresh,” said Raymond Wong, a veteran broadcaster who chairs the Committee on Review of Public Service Broadcasting. ”You cannot have (RTHK) to overnight transform into a public broadcasting corporation …It’s only fair that you start with nothing,” he told reporters.RTHK’s bureaucracy, existing terms and conditions of employment including staff on iron-clad civil service contracts, were some factors cited by Wong as going against it. But some groups criticised the findings as narrow and expressed concerns the government was trying to muzzle the broadcaster’s voice. ”This might undermine core values of human rights, including press freedoms,” said Serendade Woo, the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association. ”RTHK’s existed for so long, it’s full of experience. It would be easier to transform, than to scrap,” she added.RTHK’s plight mirrors the tensions that have simmered in Hong Kong since the former colony reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, and incessant fears that Beijing would further erode the latitude now enjoyed in one of Asia’s freest media arenas. RTHK has faced pressure from government and hard-line Beijing voices, especially after sensitive interviews, such as those with Taiwan politicians like Vice-President Annette Lu.The government said it would launch a public consultation at year end, before deciding on a way forward. ”This government will not do anything which will affect press freedom and freedom of speech,” said Joseph Wong, the city’s Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology to reporters.(Source: Reuters)/.R Netherlands Media Network Weblog

The Australian Federal Government says that digital radio broadcasts should start in the state capitals by the end of next year. Introducing legislation covering the licensing, planning and regulation of the new services into the House of Representatives, Veterans’ Affairs Minister Bruce Billson said that they should include national, commercial and community radio from the beginning.Mr Billson told the House that the transition to digital was the most important strategic issue facing Australian radio since the introduction of FM. But he promised that the government would not enforce an unrealistic and costly conversion from analogue.Mr Billson said the first services would use the European Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) standard, the most widely used system internationally and for which a wide range of reasonably priced receivers was available. To give commercial broadcasters stability, there would be a six year moratorium on new digital licences after broadcasting began in each licence area.While digital services would start in the capitals, the government was committed to the service being extended to rural and remote Australia. Mr Billson said the national broadcasters (ABC and SBS) should play a key role in driving consumer take-up of digital radio. The new system would be reviewed by 2011.(Source: The Age/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

The Bill providing for the broadcasting of RTÉ outside of Ireland was passed by the Irish Government last Thursday, and at the same time the Irish in Britain and around the world were given access to free live RTÉ news bulletins on the Internet. The free simulcasts of RTE news television bulletins, including the 6pm and 9pm news bulletins as well as current affairs programmes are available on the RTÉ website.Over 1.2 million people already use the RTÉ website each month - and over 44 per cent of them are located outside Ireland. The first week of live simulcasting included the transmission of the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin. As well as the news bulletins people can watch current affairs programmes including Prime Time, Nationwide, Questions and Answers, Capital D, Oireachtas Report and The Week In Politics which will also be streamed live.The Bill providing for the broadcasting of RTÉ in Britain has been sent to President Mary McAleese to be signed so that it can become law. Once signed, RTÉ will be legally obliged to provide a television station for the Irish in Britain and around the world. This is expected to happen as soon as possible with many politicians saying RTÉ should be in Britain by the end of the year.(Source: Irish Post/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

April is a few days away, which means, time for a quick preview of what I will be covering in the April Monitoring Times magazine.On the shortwave scene, my April column of QSL Report features a focus on projected postal increase for international rates from the U.S. Postal Service. I'll tell you what will become of air mail letter post and first class mail international.Did you know that Swiss Radio International is celebrating their 70th anniversary? Read on and you can find out how to get a copy of Switzerland - 70 Years of Quality Reporting.From there, take a look at April's QSL contributions from amateur radio, two clandestine stations, Croatia, French Guiana, German relays from Polish Radio and Radio Farda, four medium wave stations, Monaco, Myanmar, three pirate stations, and American Forces Network.Radio Nacional do Amazonia kicks off the April Broadcast Logs at 0030 UTC, where forty three stations take you on a world tour to 2312 UTC.Don't forget the center Shortwave Guide for the latest English shortwave and DRM by-hour frequencies. Frequencies are revised monthly, and readers tell us it remains the most current and reliable source for hobbyists.Don't miss out on April Monitoring Times ! There's plenty to keep you busy at the dials. To find out more about MT, please rfer to: www.monitoirngtimes.comGayle Van Horn

This year’s UEFA Champions League football competition has reached the quarter-final stage, and a Dutch team, PSV, is still in the competition. RNW will be carrying live commentary in Dutch on the home tie against Liverpool on Tuesday 3 April, and the return leg at Anfield on Wednesday 11 April, on the following frequencies:

Mystery Radio (Euro pirate)6220AM 3/18 0139-0239 A show of music, I did know Abba's Momma Mia Id was in CW (mystery) and male voice. Nice music. (333 Majewski CT)

Radio Maple Leaf3/18/07 6925 KHz USB Maple leaf Radio on with 'O Canada' at 2125z 444; short 2 ½ minute announcement with Organ Carousal music background promoting the Funderground.com website encouraging Pirate and other loggings. The sameannouncement was repeated a short time later.(Lang-CT)

The Crystal Ship6875AM 3/19 0047-0115* The Poet with a fifties music show, tunes like Yaky Yak, and Johnny be good (Chuck Berry). After Id, played Steely Dan, Who (Young Man) and Country Joe and the Fish. (434 Majewski CT)

The exchange of news and information across the Pacific is to be enhanced following a co-operation agreement between French global network RFO and Radio Australia. Under the three year deal, RFO Radio News Caledonia and Radio Australia have started sharing news and information programmes in French.Listeners in New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and Tahiti can hear the latest Pacific news via the “24 Hours in the Pacific” program, a French language news service prepared by Radio Australia and broadcast on RFO News Caledonia, each morning and afternoon. The program will also be heard on Radio Vanuatu.The agreement will enhance coverage of major events including the forthcoming Pacific Games in Western Samoa.(Source: Radio Australia/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

The National Broadcasting Board (NBB) of Botswana has granted offers to three bidders for national commercial radio stations. If the three bidders, Yarona FM, Gabz FM and new entity Duma FM agree to undisclosed conditions of the offers, they could be licenced by next month. NBB Chairman Dr Masego Mpotokwane confirmed that the Board had given draft licence conditions to the three companies and that everything would be finalised at a meeting next month.Mpotokwane said there were six citizen-owned companies bidding for the licences, and emphasised that the licences were strictly reserved for local companies. He added that even majority shareholders in the companies are citizens.Station Manager for Yarona FM Dumi Lopang on Friday expressed cheers at the news, saying that they would be able to compete with government-owned commercial channel RB2. Lopang said that they were ready to go nationwide and that they would soon introduce changes to their programming to increase Setswana content, talk content and news content from urban and peri-urban centres around the country. He said they planned to have more features from across the country and that youth would have more access to information through the station: “We want to ensure that people around the country contribute and participate in our broadcasting. We want to make an impact.”Lopang revealed that the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) had offered to lease its masts to them. A condition of their licence is for them to cover 90 percent of the country in 15 years. Lopang said he was confident that they would reach the target within the set time and that they intended to broadcast in urban and peri-urban areas before the end of the year.National Director of the Botswana chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Botswana) Modise Maphanyane said that the new licences were a welcome development that MISA had eagerly awaited. He said that there would be a diversity of views throughout Botswana unlike the present situation in which people in rural areas had no option but to consume only government views that Radio Botswana offered.(Source: Mmegi/The Reporter/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Text of report by Ivorian newspaper L’Inter on 21 MarchIn 2005, we wrote in these same columns that the management of radio station Africa No.1 was financially strapped, and it was therefore difficult to meet the charges due for the Panafrican medium. At the time, the Gabonese minister of communication made an announcement to the press reporting the hard times, which could possibly lead to the closing down of Africa No.1. With things having reached this point, the radio station officials had allowed back licensing fees owed to the National Audiovisual Communication Council (CNCA) in Abidjan to build up. As a result, the broadcasting of Africa No.1 FM programmes was suspended in the Ivorian economic capital.Nevertheless, good fortune seems to have smiled at the station’s employees, and the African network will take off again very soon. Actually, it was bought by a big financier in the person of Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi. Information making its way around high-ranking circles recently indicates that the Libyan Guide is the new owner of Africa No.1. The amount of the deal pulled off by the president of Libya and his counterpart El Hajj Omar Bongo of Gabon: 5 million euros (about 3.2 billion CFA francs). Africa No.1 will no longer be under the control of the Gabonese Government, but of the Libyan Republic. Given this new start, no one doubts that the arrears owed to the CNCA will be paid, to the delight of listeners in Cote d’Ivoire.(Source: L’Inter, Abidjan, in French 21 Mar 07 p 14 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Monday, March 26, 2007

News24, a new 24-hour news radio channel owned by ZBC [Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation] is set to start operations by the end of next month, Zimbabwe’s information minister announced on ZBC’s Spot FM on 22 March. Information and publicity minister Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu announced the launch of the station whilst conducting a tour of the ZBC studios in the midlands city of Gweru, Spot FM said.The ZBC Spot FM report said: “News24, the 24-hour radio station which initially was under New Ziana and later transferred to ZBC ownership is set to commence operations in just a month’s time. There are just a few touches that need to be made. Dr Ndlovu told ZBC management that if they present their requirements in good time, resources would be availed for the project. He emphasized that priority is to be given to the project which is fundamental in telling the true Zimbabwean story. News24 will use the Short Wave link, which means it will go international. It is hoped the new station will counter negative publicity churned out by the international media.”The station also announced that Happison Muchechetere will head the News24 channel, which would “represent Zimbabwean interests, the same way CNN and BBC news channels represent American and British interests.”Muchechetere told Spot FM that News24 would broadcast “basically 24 hours, seven days a week. We intend to reach out to SADC [Southern Africa Development Community], as far as North Africa, and as far as Europe. We are going to give a Zimbabwean perspective of news.”(Source: ZBC Radio Spot FM, Bulawayo, in English 0500 gmt 22 Mar 07 via BBC Monitoring/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

“Concerned about low levels of listeners to VOA’s Arabic service, the BBC replaced it in 2002 with Radio Sawa…” That’s according to a backgrounder on The Changing Scope of US International Broadcasts published on Saturday. It’s surprising how many times I’ve seen references to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) rendered as BBC. Perhaps it’s worth thinking about giving the Broadcasting Board of Governors another name. Apart from that typo, the backgrounder is a useful primer for those confused at the structure of US international broadcasting.

The Director of Botswana’s Department of Broadcasting Services, Bapasi Mphusu, says the Department is engaged in improving radio and television reception across the country through the Transmission Expansion Project which resumed in April 2006 and is expected to be completed by March 2009. He said that, on completion, 95 per cent of the country will be covered by radio as compared to the present 80 per cent .Television reception will improve from the current 40 per cent to an impressive 75 per cent. Mr Mphusu said through satellite dishes and decoders, television is 100 per cent accessible. He said Btv is trying its level best to increase local programmes. Mr Mphusu said the station has signed contracts with two companies to produce four local programmes to be aired starting September for about six months.(Source: Botswana Press Agency/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

We’re pleased to announced that our English website now contains a complete 24-hour guide to our programmes, which should be of help to those listening via satellite or online. Select Listening guide on our Home Page, then Times and frequencies. Click on your region of the world, and you will find that the programmes that are available via shortwave are on a shaded background with frequency details. We hope this will make it easier to find out what’s on, and where to listen.

Minivan Radio, the independent station that has been broadcasting on shortwave to the Maldives for several years, has ended its shortwave transmissions. The reason is that the Maldivian government has revealed the draft contract it will offer to private companies who wish to broadcast on FM radio.

The contract would regulate private broadcasting in the continued absence of a Broadcasting Bill. The Ministry of Information hope a contract can be agreed with companies in time to meet the government’s target of private broadcasting by World Press Freedom Day on May 3.The media community has been critical of the draft bill for being too vague and not guaranteeing freedoms. Fathimath Shaheeda of Minivan Radio confirmed that substantial concerns remained with the bill, and, by extension, the contract on offer. The Information Ministry is committed to negotiating a contract that is agreeable to broadcasters, but accepts that this might take time. Shaheeda is concerned that the tight government deadline of May 3 may force broadcasters into contracts in which all their concerns have not been resolved.The government has announced that there will be only 5 FM frequencies available for private broadcasters. This further increases the pressure on broadcasters to accept the government contracts, or risk losing out on a licence to competitors. Some broadcasters have started preparations for FM broadcasting. On Sunday 25 March, Minivan Radio stopped broadcasting on shortwave, in anticipation of being granted an FM licence promptly.Until Minivan Radio receives an FM licence, its programmes are now only available via its website. This restricts the access of listeners in remote islands where internet connections are rare. To make matters worse the Ministry of Information has so far failed to provide information on how to apply for an FM licence and one of the five frequencies. There are also legal problems with the contract system. Even if contracts can be negotiated that are acceptable to government and broadcasters, they will not be binding in the long term.It remains to be seen whether Minivan Radio will be successful in obtaining an FM licence, and under what conditions.More details at Minivan News

Let's hear it for Ron Howard, who has been DXing from Shanghai, China. That's what I call a DXpedition! Thanks very much for your contributions.

Gayle Van Horn

Ron Howard - Shanghai, China Etón E5 all times UTC kHz

CHINA. 6060, Sichuan PBS-2, 1126-1224, March 24, traditional Chinese music, BoHtheir usual canned program ID (consists of a musical fanfare, followedby an ID in Chinese by YL & OM [lists frequencies of 954 kHz. and 5900kHz.] and ending with an OM in English: "This is the Voice of GoldenBridge"), // 7225, fair-poor. The programming is only in Chinese(Mandarin). First time I have been able to hear them here in Shanghai. Have somewhat better reception back in Calif. (Ron Howard, Shanghai, China)

For those interested in the radio format happenings of the San Francisco Bay Area, this story covers not simply the activities of AM and FM radio, but semi-interviews of and comments by the DJs that are making things happen. In this article, Gene Nelson tells why he's back and where he has been; The San Francisco Sound, on KTRB, continues, but on an abbreviated scale; and a few other interesting items. And, no, I'm not connected with any of the above or below, aside from growing up listening to KTRB in my home town of Modesto, California.

Bangladesh Betar will air special programming, March 26, 2007 on the following time slots:UTC 1230 on 7185 kHz (for S & SE Asia)UTC 1815 on 7185 kHz (for Eu)Program : 26 March: A Red Letter Day in the History of Bangladesh : A special program on the occasion of the independence and Nation.(Source: Ashik Eqbal Tokon Rajshahi, Bangladesh)